Steven Johnson, Grocerant
Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice
Solutions® has written a lot about the ‘halo’ of better for you packaging
as regular readers of this blog know 2021 is the year chain
restaurants are focusing on the Me
too We Movement.
Recent reports say that “eating fish can
provide powerful advantages for the heart and brain, yet Americans eat less
than half of the 26 pounds per year that experts recommend. By contrast,
Americans buy seven times more chicken and beef annually than fish.”
So, the question is; why don’t Americans eat
more fish? Is it price? Is it freshness?
Is it a lack of cooking skill-set? Is it smell? Is it there is simply not enough
seafood? Well, more seafood could
be made available for American consumers from global ocean sources given that
at least 60% of seafood in the US is imported.
Research conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Fisheries also indicates slightly more domestic wild-caught
fish can be harvested. The US aquaculture sector, has the capacity to
significantly increase.
1.
Fish is rich in lean protein and long
chain omega-3 fatty acids, fish provides robust nutritional benefits that can
help ward off chronic disease, boost immunity and reduce inflammation in the body.
2.
Seafood provides your body with
critical omega-3 fats and minerals, like selenium, zinc, iron and iodine. It
also provides vitamins B12 and D that fend off heart disease, among other
benefits.
3.
Fish provides such positive benefits for
the body that recent USDA Dietary
Guidelines offer guidance specific to pregnant women and children based on
the finding that seafood consumption leads to cognitive improvement in
children.
4.
Research shows that integrating
seafood into a diet as a way to prevent coronary disease can lead to a
potential annual health care savings of US$12.7 billion.
5.
Seafood, as a protein, has a relatively
low greenhouse gas production. This benefit is heightened when analyzing the
many species that offer both high nutrient density and low greenhouse gas
production.
Following a Plan with Facts
1.
The 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines suggest
that Americans eat 26 pounds of seafood each year. The recommended amount
would ideally provide 250 mg per day of the important omega-3 fats.
2.
Yet because of how American consumers
purchase seafood, this provides them with, on average, only 38% of the
recommended daily omega-3's.
3.
Many of the most popular seafoods
purchased by consumers are relatively low in omega-3’s, such as shrimp, the
most popular seafood in the US, comprising nearly 30% of annual fish
sales.
4.
Considering the 10 species that make up
85% of fish available for Americans to buy in restaurants and markets, only
salmon, the second most popular seafood item, has relatively high levels
of omega-3’s.
5.
There are many species of fish high in
omega-3’s that are not regularly purchased or eaten, such as anchovies, herring
and sardines.
6.
People can replace eating fish by taking
supplements or eating other foods, such as eggs that contain omega-3’s, to
help overcome this deficiency.
7.
However, research shows that eating fish
itself is better than supplements, given that a fish filet has a full
complement of fats, vitamins, minerals and other supporting molecules.
Are you helping consumers who are at the
intersection of the Me too We Movement and consumers eating patterns?
Foodservice Solutions® specializes in
outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify
additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and
brand and menu integration strategy. Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche
visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment